Slider for slide fasteners



Aug.7,1951 HKEECH Em. 2,563,246

SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed March 16, 1945 INVENTORS HORACE. KEECH. BYNoEl.. J. Poux.

' A ORNEY.

Patented .ul'y 3l, QFI i HoraceKeechfand Noel J. Poux, Meadville, Bal, assignors to -Talon,IV nc.,-a corporationof PenneppncatiopMarn1945,seriaiNm5sao42 i n This invention 'relates to slide :fasteners y.fa/rid;

particularly,y lock sliders Aofthe type disclosed 'inv the Norton et al. patent No.;1,966,457,;issuedJuly 17, 1934, and toan improvedmethod ofvmaking the same. o

In lthe above mentioned patent, there .is 'disclosed an automatic lock slider including A,a chan- V4 neled-sliderbody having .a longitudinal Ylug ar-y ranged on oneofjthelfwings thereof.

lock the slideragainstomovement. A spring or. other'vresilient means; is provided for maintaining the locking member normally inits locked position. There is attached to ythenloclsing capmem-. ber a pull member for manipulatingthe slider and locking member in a manner 4Wellzknown to those skilled in the art.

The pull member by which thelsli-der isjoperated consists of ametal tab' bifurcated at its inner end with a pair of inwardly oppositely extending finger-like portions or trunnions. The projections or trunnionsextend under the side Walls ofl the locking cap member `and are freely' movable for a substantial distance' longitudinally' of the slider, `the trunnionsbeing confined between the slider body andthe inner edgesof the sidewalls of the Vlocking member Vwith the lug forming a separating Wall between the trunnions which are disposed at opposite sides thereof.

In order that there be freedom of movement o f the pull member with respect tothe slider, it is necessary that thefdistance between the ends oi' these projections orftrunnions bevslightly greater than the thickness of the lug, which they embrace. Asa result'oftentimes, when in use, the pull tab is twisted relativeto the slider, thereby frequently causing the trunnions to spread apart to such 'an extent that the pull member becomes disengaged or Vdisplaced from 'theV slider with consequent loss of the pull member, thereby making the slider inoperative. Y

yInorder to overcome this difiiculty,v it has been suggested to provide a y transversel aperture through the -lug and fto attach thereto apu-ll member-having 'one solid pivotal or itrunnion portion which is disposed in the transverse aperture so as to ,provide a eso-called through and through fpull, therebylelimina'ting anywdanger ofy the trunnion vportion becomingxdisengged 'There is pivotally attached toipthe'V lug atoneend thereof,

@Claims (CL 24v-,29514) 'fr'onthe Sudr'bd'y; While' this is the finden desirable constructionfor such a slider, heretofore, it was practically impossible to convene.

iently and inexpensively apply a conventional type .pull member to the .slider lug and,jatthe same time, provide a construction possessing the above mentioned requisite,V While thepull mem-V ber could be held on the slider body merely by the locking cap, member without the aid Yo fr the lugthis Ais unsatisfactory; for the reason that.V

member is frequently distorted and displaced trom Y thenslider body. I-t is, therefore, to an improved automatic lock slider Vhaving a through and through pull and to vva; method-of assembling the pull member in the. transverseaperture of the lug ofthe slider `body,gth,a1, thepresen-t in;- vention,relates.; 1 t i 'Y j Accordingly, itisthejgeneral objectof thefpresent invention to provide an improved automatic lock slider for *slidev fasteners wherein the pull memberis of ysuch construction `and is connected tothe slider in such ia manner as 4@if,cctivelygip prevent accidental detachment therefrom, there-A by eliminating the above mentioned -diliculties.v VvIt is another object of this invention to provide an improved -automatic lock slider lwhereinrthe pull memberis jsecurely attached tozthe,sliderl but is l`attached in suona Vmannerthat fitfwll, eiectively operate the `lock-ing member to .move the same to its unlocked vposition when desired.--

It is 'a morespeci-c object `of :the present invention Vto provide `an improved automatic lock slider wherein jthepull member has .one solid trunnion ror pivotal-portion *which is disposed Inovably `in anelongated transverse aperture in the lug of. thepsliderrwi-ththe .pivotal or'trurr--l mon-portion co'operatingy with the `inner Wallofy saidaperture tolimit yat all times the-outward movement of the .pull member when a pulling force isexerted thereon when in Ause,ar1d, atthe same time, permittinggthe locking member* to function normally. .It is a further object fof, this invention to .provide sucha: slider-whereinsby 'reasorrof the nature of` the pull member ,andits connection toV the slider, danger; of disengagement-of the trunnion portion of the .pull smember from the y'slider and. displacement of: both thepull 'member an'dzflock-V ing member-*from the slider, is eliminated, while, at the same time, all the normal functions-and advantages ofi-,the :type of, automatic lockslider disclosed in `:thee'afoizerh entionedv Norton, et :al: patent,'areretained;` c f l v f- Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent in the course of the following specification, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown for the purpose of illustration, an embodiment and a modification thereof which our invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a slide fastener having the improved lock slider of our invention incorporated therewith; v

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the first step in assembling the pull onvthe slider in accordance with the preferred embodiment of our invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the slider showing the pull assembled thereon; Y

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the slider showing both the locking cap member and the pull assembled thereon; I

Fig. 5 is a side view shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a plan view ofthe slider showing a modified construction of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a side view of Fig. 6, showing how the pull member is retained in the lug of the slider; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the inner end of the pull member of the modification showing how the trunnion portion is formed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. l, a conventional type slide fastener comprising a pair of tapes or stringers 2 having a series of opposed spaced interlocking elements 3 arranged along the beaded edges thereof. There is arranged on the fastener elements, a slider. generally designated 4, for longitudinal movement in either direction therealong to open and close the fastener in a well-known manner.

The slider is generally of the construction as shown in the aforementioned Norton et al. patent, and consists ofv a hollow body member having spaced upper and lower wing portions 5 and 6, respectively. which are interconnected at one end thereof by means of a neck portion I and having inwardly extending ange portions 8 at each side thereof so as to provide substantially a Y-shaped channel in the slider body, through which the fastener elements pass during the opening and closing movement of the slider.

On the outer surface of the upper wing portion 5, centrally thereof, there is arranged integral therewith, a longitudinally extending lug or loop 9 on which there is mounted, alocking arm or cap member I0. The cap member consists preferably of a hollow sheet metal member having top 'and side walls IIIa and IIJb, respectively, and preferably end walls, so as substantially to enclose the lug 9, and is pivotally attached thereto, as at I2, adjacent the end of the lug at the upper end of the slider body, preferably by opposed projections carried by the side walls ofthe cap member which extend into indentations in 'the opposed sides of the lug 9. The side walls of the cap member are relieved or cut away as at I3 on either side of the lug so that the bottom of each of the side walls is spaced from the upper surface of the wing portion 5 for the purpose of attaching a pull member thereto ina manner hereinafter to'be described.

' Between the locking cap member I9 and the upper surface of the wing 5, there is arranged in any suitable manner, a resilient member, preferof Ythe slider assembly, as

2,563,246 p .i. .n i;

- fastener elements 3 to lock the fastener in a wellknown manner. It will be seen that the spring I4 tends to urge the locking cap member I9 about v its pivotal connection-with the lug so as to project normally the locking projection I5 between any pair of fastener elements. AThe pull member or tab I1 may be of any Y, convenient form and consists preferably of a fiat f metallic member having a large rectangular shaped opening I8 at its inner end so as to provide a pair of spaced apart leg portions I9 terminating in a solid pivotal or trunnion portion 29 at its extreme inner end by means of which the pull is pivotally attached to the slider in a manner hereinafter to be described. This trunnion or pivotal portion s disposed loosely in an elongated transversely extending aperture 2| in the lug 9, with the trunnion portion extending to either side of the lug so Aas to be disposed in the relieved or cutaway portions I3 of the'locking cap member I0 positioned on either side of the lug. When the pull member is manipulated to operate the slider, the trunnion or pivotal portion 20 bears against the bottom edges of the side walls of the locking cap memberfthereby moving it about its pivotal connection, at. I2 against thel action of .the spring I4, thereby withdrawing the locking prong I5 from the channel of the slider and out of engagement with the fastener elements therein in a well-known manner.

According to the present invention there is arranged in the upper wall ofthe lug 9, substantially centrally thereof, a transverse slot 22 which communicates with the transverse aperture 2I in the lug. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, this transverse slot is positioned angularly of the lug 9 and preferably at the smallest angle posiible with the longitudinal axis thereof for reasons which will become apparent hereinafter. The width of this angular transverse slot 22 is just slightly greater than theithickness of the inner end of the pull member I1 and this transverseslot is provided for the purpose of attaching the pull member I1 to the lug in a manner now to be described.

In assembling the pull member II on the slider,

the pull member is positioned substantially per' pendicular to the plane of theupper surface of' the top wing, as shown'invthe full lines of Fig. 2` of the drawings, with the trunnion portion 20 disposed' directly opposite the transverse slot 22 in the lug 9 and in alignment therewith. The trunnion or pivotal portion of the pull member is then inserted in the transverse slot 22 and moved therethrough until` itis, disposedin the transverse aperture 2i of the lug, as shown in the broken lines of Fig. 2. Y Ther pull isgthen twisted slightly so that the trunnion portion is disclosed substantially perpendicular to thelug with the leg rportions I9 .disposed substantially. parallel thereto to either 'side thereof,.'as. shown in Fig. 3.x In such position, it will be seen that the trunnion portion 2IlV isprevntedfro'ni pass. ing back throu'ghcthe transverse'fslotf22 due to.

encaisse the angularpositicntherecf 'renti-re tok -theftrune nien.pcrtion-v n After .the Vpull member has mem-.positioned on the lug 'inl the .manner asA above described,y thev locking cap member Hl` is mounted .thereon in, the conventional manner so :as tobe pivotally attachedthereto, asat l2, toprovide a complete slider assembly, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 ofthe. drawings. .It will beseengthat the opening L8 between the vleg portions L9. ofthe pull member; is,

substantially ll'ed after assembly. oithelocking,

cap. member, thereby preventing any appreciable twisting .movement of. .the pull member relative. tothe lug and slider body. Since ,the:trunnion portion of the pull member ispreventedffrom twisting 4by thelocking member, consequently the' the-slider when a pulling` force is exerted on thepull member. The outward movement 'of lthe pull member as a result of such pullingl force,-will be limited due to the cooperation of the -trunnion portionl of the pull with the upper wall of the transverse aperture 2l'. is well-known that itis desirable that the Apullmember be movable longitudinally of the slider in order to avoid the ypulling force from being centered substantially at Athe 'center vof the slider body. For this reason, the transverse aperture 2`I is elongated so as to permit `the trunnion o rpivotal portion 20 of the pull memberto vtravel an appreciable distancek from one end of the slider to the other. 'In such longitudinal movement ofthe trunnion portion, it is desirable that it have va continuous bearing surface throughout its travel along the upper wall of the transverse aperture 2l 'inthe lug. In the present construction, -While the lug'Q is slotted' at 2|l to break the continuoussurface of this upper wall, a continu'- ous bearing surface 'is provided by disposing the slot 22 angularly relative to the lug and this is one of the most important aspects of the invention. In other words, the trunnion portion 2'-will contact the upper wall of the transverse aperture continuously throughout its longitudinal travel relativ-etc the slider, thereby eliminating any danger of the trunnion vportion passing throughthe slot 22 and thereby preventing the locking cap member from being subjectedto. any excessive pulling force which might tendizto-distort or displace the locking cap Amember from the lug.

In Figs. 6, '7 and 8 of the drawings, there is shown a slight modication'of'the slider of our invention. In this construction, there is provided ailug. 9a, substantially centrally thereof, :a transverse slot 2,13; which extends substantiallyatri'ght angles to the lug and communicates with a transverse aperture 2|a therein. As shown inFig. 8, the trunnion lila of the pull member Ha is dimpled or offset as at 24 substantially at the center thereof, so that this central portion is disposed out of the piane oi the remainder of the pull, for a purpose to be described.

In assembling this modified form of slider, the pull member is positioned as before substantially perpendicular to the upper Wing of the slider to In `such -a slider itone side of; the. lug-j withv the legrortions; :laila ade. jacent the lug disposed next thereto,directlyfop:-y posite and in alignment'with the',,transverse.slut` 2 3 therein, asshown lin the v-brokenlinestoffEig;4 6 Vof the drawings. lThe pull member is :their movedlaterally:relative to `,the sliderbody and. lugaa with theadiacentleg portionyla inserted.

in andi moved. through .the transversel slot. 23 of.;

the. lug, until the trunnion portion.l Zlla `is disposed,l inthe transverse aperture2l.u,.as zshown'in the.- lines. of Eig. 16. The ipull'imember risxthen moved vdownwardly .so as tolie iiatcagainst` the.y slider,.as shown in Fig. 6. The :lock-ing'cap memel berililla is vthen assembled ythereon in the same.y

.manner as. hereinbefore described. After the capimember is assembled. on 'the .'lug, it `will'y be seen that, any appreciable lateral v.movement of the -pull member relative tothe slider andlflug,y is arrested, thereby preventing `either -leg -portion lilla Strom passing':'back through 'the trans-- versevslotS-ZS. In this construction vas `Ain 4lthe-preferredconstruction, 'it will 'be understood that'V thev width of `the `transverse slot '23 is slightly' greater than the thickness of theinner :end of' the `pull Ymember butthat the dimpled or offset portion -24 in the trunnion presents an over-all thickness'greater than the width of' theslot 23, thereby'preventingfthe'pivotal portion frompassingtherethrough. Likewise, in this embodiment,y

there is 'provided a continuousbearingsurface for the rtrunnion on the upper wallof the trans-4 verse vaperture 21a throughout its travel *relative thereto, thereby eliminating any dangerof the trunnion Aportion from subjecting the' cap member to any excessive pulling force.

'While v'we' have shown and describedy lone em-v bodiment Yand a modification thereof which our invention may assume inpractice, it will benner derstoodzthat this embodiment andfmodication are merely' for 'the purpose of 'illustration and description, andthat various other formsmay be devised .within .thev scope of our invention as de iinedY inthe appended claims.

What'we claim as our invention is 1.:In a slider forslide fasteners; of thejclass,A E: described, a ybody member having upper andilower spaced-` apart wingsesosas to `provide*` a.- channel,A therebetween through whichk fastener elementsVVV aref-.adapted togpass Afor engaging, and ldsengag.: ing. thesamefa longitudinally extending.; lug; arfI franged. .onstha ,'Qutergside- .of oneoff; Said .Wines-,.1

said lug having a transverse aperture arranged therethrough intermediate the length thereof, and a pull member having the pivotal portion thereof disposed in said aperture, the outer wall of said lug having a slot arranged angularly and transversely thereof communicating with said aperture through which the pull member is adapted to be inserted to position the pivotal portion thereof in said aperture when being assembled on said lug, said slot being constructed v In other words; 4any "excessive Fpulling vforce to which the asesora and arranged so'as to prevent thpivotal portion otsaid'pullmembe'r from passing normally back through said slot after it has been assembled in theltransverse yaperture of said lug and so as to provide substantially a continuous bearing surface for the pivotal portion of said pull member along the inner side of the outer wall of said lug against which surface the pivotal portion of said pull member is adapted to bear in its longitudinal movement from one end of the lug to the other. 1.2. In a slider for slide fasteners of the class described, abody member having upper and lower spaced apart wings so as to provide a channel therebetween through which fastener elements are adapted to pass for engaging and disengaging the same, a longitudinally extending lug arranged on the outer side ofV one of said wings, said lug having a transverse aperture arranged therethrough intermediate the length thereof, a pull member having the pivotal portion thereof disposed in said aperture, the outer Wall of said lug having a slot arranged angularly and transversely thereof communicating with said aperture through which the pull member is adapted to be inserted to position the pivotal portion thereof in said aperture when being assembled on said lug, and a locking member pivotally attached to said lug and bridging the angular transverse slot therein, said locking member adapted to prevent the pivotal portion of said pull member from passing normally back through said slot after 1t has been assembledin the aperture of said lug, said slot constructed and arranged so as to provide substantially a continuous bearing surface along the inner side of the outer wall of said lug against which surface the pivotal portion of said pull member is adapted to bear in its longitudinal movement from one end of the lug to the other.

l 3. In a slider for slide fasteners, a slider body having a fastener element guide channel therein, af longitudinal lug projecting from one side of said slider body having an elongated transverse aperture arranged therethrough, a locking member pivotally connected to said lug at one end and superimposed thereon, said locking member having thereon ,a projection adjacent its free end projectable iintoY said channel for locking said slider and retractable therefrom for unlocking the same,'re'silient means for constantly urging the free end of said locking member toward said slider body to maintain said projection in said channel to lock the slider, and a pull member terminating in a trunnion portion which is disposed inthe transverse aperture of said lug, saidA so as to prevent said trunnion portion 'from passingv through said-'slot afterY the locking member` has been assembled on said lug and so as toprovide substantially a continuous bearing surface along the inner side of the outer wall of said lug against which surface the trunnion portion of said pull member is adapted to bear in its longitudinal movement from one end of the lug to the other.

4. In a slider for slide fasteners, a slider body having a fastener element guide channel therein,- a longitudinal lug projecting from one side of.

said slider body having an elongated transverse aperture arranged therethrough, a hollow locking member having top and side walls extending over the top and sides of said lug and pivotally connected to said lug at one end, said locking member having thereon a projection adjacent its free end projectable into said channel for locking said slider and retractable therefrom for unlocking the same, resilient means for constantly urging the free end of said locking member toward said slider body to maintain said projection in said channel to lock the slider, and a pull member terminating at one end in a trunnion portion which is disposed in the transverse aperture of said lug, said trunnion portion in one position of said pull member adapted to engage the edges of the side walls of said hollow locking member for lifting the free end portion thereof against the force of said resilient means to unlock said slider, said lug having a transverse slot arranged angularly in the outer wall thereof having a width slightly greater than the thickness of the pull member and through which said pull member is adapted to be inserted to position the trunnion portion thereof in said aperture when being assembled on said lug, both said slot and said trunnion portion being constructed and arranged so as to prevent the trunnion portion of said pull from passing normally through said slot after the locking member has been assembled on said lug and so as to provide substantially a continuous bearing surface along the inner side of the outer wall of said lug against which surface the trunnion portion of said pullv member is adapted to bear in its longitudinal movement from one end of the lug to the other.

HORACE KEECH. NOEL J. POUX.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,882,672 Puo Oct. 18, 1932 1,901,189 Poux Mar. 14, 1933 2,041,156 Sundback May 19, 1936 2,077,358 Dyresen Apr. 13, 1937 2,222,529 Dahlin Nov. 19, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 495,390 Great Britain Nov. 1l, 1938 616,372 Germany July 26, 1935 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,563,246 August 7 1951 HORACE KEECH ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

In the heading to the printed speeication, line 1, for Patented July 31, 1951 read Patented August 7, 1.951

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oce.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of December, A. D. 1951.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assz'stant Oommz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

